KARACHI: Quetta endured a miserable first day of their Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-II Cricket Tournament fixture on Saturday when centuries from Sajjad Ali, Hammad Ali and Kamran Ghulam propelled Abbottabad to a commanding 444-2 at the National Stadium.
In action for the first time in the qualifying event for the premier first-class competition, Quetta were left to rue their decision of bowling first after winning the toss as Sajjad and Hammad put on a mammoth partnership of 279 in only 217 minutes.
Sajjad was trapped leg-before by slow left-armer Hamal Wahab for a run-a-ball knock of 167, which was studded with 25 boundaries and a brace of sixes.
Al-rounder Kamran Ghulam then arrived to partner Hammad in another productive stand worth 133 before Hamal held a return catch to get rid of Hammad for 143 (off 203 balls, 14 fours) in a stay of 305 minutes.
Kamran also reached 100 (off 119 balls, nine fours) by the time Abbottabad had used up their stipulated first-innings quota of 83 overs.
The shell-shocked Quetta somehow survived five overs before stumps to score 25 runs.
Slow left-armer Nauman Ali took 4-44 to help Hyderabad dismiss Dera Murad Jamali for 141 after the latter chose to bat at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad.
But the hosts found the going tough as they struggled to 99-6 by stumps.
Bahawalpur enjoyed a good day at the Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur where the home team reached 168-1 after bowling out Azad Jammu Kashmir for 143.
Sialkot launched their campaign to regain first-class status by piling up 392-8 declared against Larkana at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The highlight being Ayaz Tasawwar’s blazing innings of 157 as the left-hander struck 17 fours and four sixes in his 134-ball effort.
By close of play, Larkana were in dire straits at 55-2.
Close of play scores on Saturday (day one of three):
Second round:
Group ‘A’:
At Dring Stadium, Bahawalpur: AZAD JAMMU KASHMIR 143 in 48 overs (Ikram Hussain 33; Imranullah Aslam 4-37); BAHAWALPUR 168-1 in 44 overs (Mudassar Nazir 87 not out, Adeel Basit 53 not out).
At Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan: SIALKOT 392-8 declared in 76 overs (Ayaz Tasawwar 157, Naeemuddin 73, Saif Badar 45, Mohammad Yasin 36; Mohammad Urs 3-94, Aamir Panhwar 2-58, Imtiaz Leghari 2-84); LARKANA 55-2 in 12 overs (Asif Babar 26 not out; Mohammad Irfan 2-28).
Group ‘B’:
At National Stadium, Karachi: ABBOTTABAD 444-2 in 83 overs (Sajjad Ali 167, Hammad Ali 143, Kamran Ghulam 100 not out; Hamal Wahab 2-128); QUETTA 25-0 in 5 overs.
At Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad: DERA MURAD JAMALI 141 in 50.4 overs (Shahbaz Ali 42; Nauman Ali 4-44, Babar Khan 3-38, Nasir Awais 2-23); HYDERABAD 99-6 in 39 overs (Mir Darya Khan 45; Aftab Ahmed 4-43).
Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2017